Modulisme 107
Modulisme (translates Modularism) is a media documenting left-field Modular Synthesis. A platform that aims to support original composing, for analog modular systems but not only…
Providing ressources/interviews, weekly radio programs aired via 18 antennas, and above all label-like streaming music for you to listen to…
What’s in each section:
Sessions – There we are offering original music and developing a platform that will document the genre and draw attention upon the composers who make it strong. We are championing the use of analog instruments, the use of electricity to sustain a sound produced with a musical intent, BUT what matters is the composition itself, the research/creation process, its interpretation/result and not the tools to achieve what composers may have in mind. Different relationships occur between the constructive will of the musician and the nature of the material at his disposal. Sometimes a preliminary idea commands the sounds and instruments of the studio, sometimes, conversely, the possibilities of the sounds and equipment condition the musical idea.
Don Buchla said it: « Anything is possible ! We’re not limited by technology, we are not limited by instruments. We are limited only by our mindsets ».
Think different and I hope that you will enjoy listening to our stories….
For practical reasons using BC and thus a “pay what you want” price as I’m insisting on not doing a business… If you want to support it is welcome and we’ll cover our costs and share revenue with each artist.
But each session can be streamed without any limitation and should grow on you revealing details with each listen. I try my best to provide infos about the composers, pictures, text just like a magazine and indeed offering exclusive music like a label but I want Modulisme to be different, I totally envision our platform like a Library where listeners can come and listen (borrow) the music online.
I.T.A.T.I.O.M. – Modulisme is on a mission to share-publish music from like-minded creative modularists and help’em get some more exposure… But one has to bear in mind that behind each sound-designer are those who invent, design machines or modules aimed at becoming our instruments. Those geniuses, essential in helping to free our creativity, motivated the launching of I.T.A.T.I.O.M.: Inventors Talking About Their Instruments Or Modules.
Early ElectroMIX – While our priority is to support Contemporary analog Electronic music my desire is also to document pioneering works which paved the way to what we create today. An essential guide through my favorites, those I consider « repertoire works » in a sense that I love to play them in a mix or spatialize/diffuse (distributing spatially, via multiple loudspeakers) and consider they are (or should be) part of our history. This isn’t nostalgia, to me the further backwards you listen the further forward you can think…
Who? – Cogito Ergo Sum.
If you want to know who we are, as well as our numerous media-partners…
Sources – Some important ressources…
Modular-Station – Our host and other labour of love…
As far as I am concerned I certainly would like to be in contact so if you want to receive our newsletter please send your email to:
modulisme (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanx for staying curious, I hope you enjoy our company…
P.S. Some friends cared enough to express their appreciation…
Suzanne Ciani:
Cher Philippe,
I want to say how grateful I am for all you’ve done for analog live performance. You do an enormous service to this field and I want to go on record that I very much appreciate your work.
Morton Subotnick:
Modulisme has been doing a great and passionate job with the genre(?). I enjoy your emails; and I read and often listen to your discoveries and enthusiastic responses to what you listen to. Keep it up! It’s wonderful to see this kind of excitement!
Serge Tcherepnin:
Cher Philipppe, je me sens comme de regarder le ciel plein d’étoiles au Colorado et de voir, ci et là, un Spoutnick le traverser.
Magnifique et étonnant.
Merci infiniment pour cette oeuvre extra-terrestre !
I’m extremely grateful to you, for your work, for Modulisme and the Encyclopedia.
So Thank You, Philippe! Yay, you.You’ve planted the flag of new e-music on planet Earth, and we, pioneers and settlers, thank you 🙂
Todd Barton:
Ah! I’ve loved watching Modulisme unfold over these years into a wondrous community and platform for both established and emerging modularist composers and performers. Especially exciting has been your curation of vintage electronic, electro-acoustic and tape music. Bravo! Thanks for including me in this ever-expanding adventure.
Paul Pignon:
Amazing and unique venture, lots of great music from the past and the not so past made easy to revisit. And featuring me too on occasion – what’s not to like?
Leo Nilsson:
I am very impressed of your work ! You take care of the music history of our time !
I think people will thank you for that one day.
Thomas Dimuzio:
Thanks for bringing these oscillations and modulations to the masses.
I like the new format of the platform. I love the ethos of Modulisme: always forward with respect and admiration for the legacy. The true power of modular continues to be realized and it’s amazing to see so many artists championing new musical trajectories. Of course Modulisme would not have been possible during the 1970s plus modular systems have become more accessible and nearly ubiquitous some 50 years later. There has never been a better time to create abstract electronic music and Modulisme is THE platform for those dedicated to researching the tools while searching the extraterrestrial for new musics carved out at the speed of light. That’s the part I like. 🙂
The website looks great and is easy to navigate. Keep up the amazing work and here’s to many more years!
Mod on!
Doug Lynner:
“Passion”, “friendship” and “community” are words that come to mind when I think of Modulisme and its curator, Philippe Petit.
These are important words to me that I invest in routinely but it is not often that I find them all running at once in full measure. Fortunately for me, and for unusual electronic music like mine, they are all three fully embodied in the music platform, Modulisme.
Modulisme represents a global passion for international, unusual electronic music allowing composers a supportive platform for their music and listeners access to a survey of expert level electronic music.
Modulisme enables friendships through the sharing of music within both the creative ranks and the listener ranks.
Modulisme grows community by offering a home for outsider electronic music, exploring subcommunities based on common instrument usage, and, effectively seeking partnerships to further the reach of the Modulisme platform, unusual electronic music, and the artists that are represented.
It is also not often that one person has the vision, open spirit, tireless organization skills, and resilience to execute such a project but without that rare skill set being possesed by Philippe Petit Modulisme could not exist for the benefit of all.
I have a great affection for Philippe and Modulisme as well as a great appreciation of their positive role in the continuing advancement of the electronic music community.
Ian Boddy:
I really like the concept behind Modulisme in that the world of modular music is vast with many uncharted sonic territories and your platform allows composers free rein to explore those outer reaches of audio.
Köhn / Jurgen De Blonde:
Well informed, extensive and thoughtfully prepared.
Alexeï Borisov:
I like Modulisme in general. Interviews, music look cool and interesting.
Maybe more videos of live sets would be good to watch.
Yoshio Machida:
Modulisme is great! Because this is the first big archive about modular synth sounds.
Archive is important like Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. I hope that this will grow more!
Jono Podmore:
What really characterizes Modulisme is the sheer scale. The amount of music and musicians involved is incredible and how that has continued to increase over the last years is astonishing. What has been created is library of electronic music and discussion that has very few rivals. My only concern is that the scale makes it difficult to navigate at times and can seem daunting. Maybe that can be tackled? Don’t get me wrong I think the more content the better, but a digest or some easier way to navigate could help. I’m no expert at this kind of thing but for people coming to the site for the first time they may feel “where do I start?”
Rex Maximus:
I have drawn great inspiration from Modulsime and Modular Station. To have somewhere to go to listen to abstract modular synth works is a godsend and I am grateful to you in so many ways. Many thanks Philippe for your work and dedication to modular, truly appreciated! Keep up the great work my friend.
Ben Edwards:
Thanks Philippe for being you who have opened up a new doorway for the modular synthesists of this world, and for those who want to listen.
Michael White:
Modulisme is one of the things that has helped me stay strong through the pandemic. I have made music with modulars since early 2000’s but real didn’t have any interaction with any other “modularists”. In March of 2020 as everything was shutting down I was exchanging messages with a friend and he mentioned that I should really check out the Modulisme site. He sent me a link and I was instantly hooked and blown away by the diversity in approach, style and musicality of the “Sessions”. In the past year and a half Modulisme has connected me with the music of artists that I knew must be out there but I had never been unable to find before. The site is an amazing example of what the internet can be when it is at its best and unencumbered by commercialism. From it’s inception Philippe Petit set up Modulisme as a place for discovery and sharing. An endeavor truly devoted only to the music. A rare thing these days. Bravo! The remarkable contributions that so many artists have made creating music for the “Sessions” has not only inspired and energized me but also helped me to examine and critique my own musical ideas in ways I could never have done without it. I know for a fact Modulisme has helped me improve both the command of my instrument and my compositional process.
In my opinion the expansion of Modulisme to include “I.T.A.T.I.O.M” and “Early Electro Mix” has galvanized the re-emergence of music being made on modular synthesizers over the past 20 years with the historical legacy of the originators and inventors of electro-acoustic music, technique and instrument makers. Showing how the diversity of approaches are connected however strong, slight or tenuous. This is how we learn and improve our art by looking for connections and then looking for our own direction based on our responses to those connections. “I.T.A.T.I.O.M” and “Early Electro Mix” have given context to where we are at and where we have come from, and as a consequence help to define our community.
The collaboration and connection with Modular Station has only amplified these positive experiences for me. I am extremely grateful to have been introduced to this site, Philippe, Yan and the music that is hosted and streamed here. Thank you all!
I know it is very panegyrical and my cheeks have turned red but TBH doing such a huge labour of love everyday I appreciate some nice comments in return especially when I envision our Modulisme as a label-family struggling to help our community to grow and be heard.
Thanx to YOU who listen, show support and interest !
Philippe.
